Forever and Ever
by Teliko. x3
Summary: Alice and Jasper meet in a half-empty diner in Philadelphia. Together, they search for the Cullens and fall in love; one step at a time.
1. Chapter 1

**Forever and Ever**

**Rating: Teen**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Summary: Alice and Jasper meet in a half-empty diner. Here's their story.**

**A/N: I know a lot of people out there have written something like this, so I decided to try it out myself. I hope I got it right, or at least, close to right. Haha. I've been sitting here, eating skittles and drinking sprite, trying to think of how I wanted to start this. So.. here it is!**

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She sat by herself at the bar of the small, half-empty diner. A small cup of coffee sat in front of her, but it remained untouched. There was a man to her left and to her right, nothing but empty stools. The bartender eyed her suspiciously. Surely, a girl young enough as Alice shouldn't be out by herself.

She remained still. Confident. Excited. Positive. Anxious.

She had _seen_ it. She _knew_ it was going to happen.

Her head snapped up and her stare flew to the door when she heard the loud jingle of the bells above the door, but quickly lowered her gaze when she realized it was just a couple leaving the diner.

She sighed. How long would she have to wait until he finally showed up?

It was storming outside, the clouds hiding the sun and making it the perfect shade of gray outside for her to walk amungst the humans.

The bells jingled again and she all but broke her neck by turning her head to stare at the door. Sure enough, a tall and pale man, with honey blonde hair and dark eyes had walked through the door. He wore a dark jacket, a gray button down shirt underneath that, and a pair of nice dress pants with shoes to match.

Alice grinned. She always loved a man who could match his clothes.

She watched him carefully, a smile playing on her lips. He was looking around the diner, taking in it's occupants and probably wondering why in the hell he had come here in the first place. He took a few steps further into the diner and that's when he saw her.

She was perched up on one of the diner's stools, a cup of coffee in front of her. Her tiny legs were crossed and her skirt stopped just below her knee. She wore plain, simple flats. In such cold weather, the only thing to keep her warm was her small cotton sweater that was buttoned up. Her dark hair was short and spiked, pointing in every direction. He stopped when he saw her beautiful eyes. Gold. They sparkled when she smiled at him. She then jumped down from her high stool and danced her way over to him.

"You've kept me waiting a long time," she spoke up softly. He nodded his head and rested his hand over his chest.

"I'm sorry, ma'am." She smiled and nodded.

"I'm Alice." He couldn't ignore her smile. He found himself smiling back, mesmerized by this beautiful girl.

"I'm-"

"Jasper Whitlock. I know." She eyed him through the corner of her eye and turned her attention back to her now empty seat. He went silent. How did she know that? He intended to ask her.

"But how did you know?"

"I know a lot of things about you, Jasper," she added. There was no hesitation in her voice. He could feel her happiness and excitement radiating from her in waves. He sensed no guilt, no worry, no deception; just pure happiness and excitement. "I know that you walked here alone today, I know you have no place to go after this, I know your favorite color is red-" She suddenly stopped, her face becoming motionless and empty. After a few seconds, she shook her head and regained her smile. "Never mind that, I think you've just changed it to gold, but you don't know it yet. I know what color undergarments you have on. I also know what you had for _breakfast_ this morning. I know what you _are_." When she was done with her elaborating, she leaned back on her heels and watched him with a smile. The poor guy looked simply horrified. "Okay, so the part about the undergarments wasn't true, but I promise the rest of it is!" All he could do was stare at her, mouth open in shock. She was all smiles and giggles. A truly happy person.

"But... how?" She tapped her temple.

"I saw it."

"You saw it," he repeated, needing to say it himself. What was the chance of finding another vampire in a small diner in the middle of Philadelphia? A vampire who possessed a gift, like himself?

"Hmm mmm," she hummed.

She turned her head. She was no longer looking at him, but up at the clock on the wall in front of them.

"Maybe we should go. We might be getting a little too suspicious." His stare joined hers and he cursed the time. He wanted to spend more time with this beautiful, angelic creature. She was luring him in slowly.

Alice slid from the stool and planted her feet on the ground right in front of him. He stood also and almost gasped at just how _short_ she was. She couldn't have been more than four-foot-ten. He, himself, was standing at six-foot-two. The height difference was truly amusing. This showed in his apparent smirk. She glanced up at him while she dug through her small purse to pay for her untouched coffee.

"What are you smirking at, big foot?"

"Nothing, pixie." She threw a few dimes and pennies onto the counter and then turned to him with a smile. She held out her hand, testing him. Would he take it and follow her? Or would he leave her in the diner, alone and rejected?

He couldn't ignore the shiver that passed through his spine when their hands met and their fingers laced together. He barely knew this girl, but yet, he was holding her hand and letting her take him wherever she pleased. As they headed for the door, he picked up his pace to hold it open for her. She smiled and walked out in front of him, pulling on his hand to drag him out into the cold weather.

"You said that I was keeping you waiting for a long time?"

"Yes."

"Just... how long?"

"Twenty-eight years." He bit his bottom lip and nodded. Why would anyone want to wait for someone like him? He considered himself pathetic, low, a monster, a killer. Why would anyone, _especially _the beautiful girl clutching his hand, want to be involved with a person like him? "Don't worry, love. It was well worth the wait." She looked up at him when he didn't reply. "Don't you trust me?"

"Yes," he replied. "I do." He couldn't explain it. It was crazy. He had just met her and he felt as if he had been knowing her for years. She was so beautiful, graceful, energetic, funny, happy- all of the things he would never be. She deserved better. Yet, he couldn't unlock their hands and turn the other way. He didn't want to. He wanted to be with Alice, and only Alice. And together, they walked down the sidewalk, towards brightly lit buildings up ahead. "Where are we going?"

"Back to my hotel room." He let her drag him through the lobby, down the hallway, and into the empty elevator. She pushed the button for the fifth floor. He couldn't process all of this at once, so when he made it into her dim hotel room, he seated himself in one of the chairs by a small, round table. She closed the door and locked it, then seated herself on the bed in front of him. "What's wrong? You're being quiet."

"I'm just... trying to understand." She remained silent. "Why a hotel?" She smiled. That was easy.

"I knew I'd find you sooner or later, I just didn't know... where. Hotels are quick, convenient. I wasn't going to buy a pricey home then leave two weeks later." He nodded, fully understanding now. But he still had so many questions he wanted to ask her. She was laying on her back, kicking her feet into the air. He watched her with a smile and suddenly, she let her head fall over the edge of the bed to stare at him upside down. Her hair went everywhere and he almost laughed.

"And your eyes," he asked softly.

"Oh. There's a reason for the color."

"Which is?"

"I hunt animals." His eye brow arched in interest. Could such a thing be done? "I'm sure it's not as satisfying as human blood, but it's enough to keep me going."

"Then what else have you seen? Besides meeting me in that diner tonight."

"You and I join a family of five. They're like me, they hunt only animals. I've been having visions of them just as long as I have been for you." She flipped herself over on the bed, now laying on her stomach. She rested her chin in the palms of her hands and remained kicking her feet in the air. She was smiling. He ran his eyes over her small face, taking in the deep gold color of her eyes, her small nose, her round cheeks, her small lips- she was absolutely gorgeous. Suddenly, her face went blank and her feet stopped in mid-swing.

"Alice?"

Silence.

Then, as if nothing happened, she resumed kicking her feet and smiled at him again.

"What did you see?"

"We kissed," she squealed, her eyes sparkling. He chuckled.

"You know, Alice... I haven't been to open about myself like you have." She listened carefully. "I have a gift of my own, too."

"Oh, really?! What is it?" Across from her, he sat concentrated and very still. Then suddenly, instead of feeling like her normal, happy and energetic self, she felt depressed. Just as quick, she changed to feeling tired and restless. Then it hit her. He was the one controlling her emotions. This was his gift. Manipulation. Then she felt love, want, desire, need and lust. She gasped and sat straight up on the bed, then licked her lips. Would her vision actually come true tonight?

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**A/N: So that was it! Haha, it took me two days to write that. I wanted it to be perfect and cute. Hopefully, I can update it just as quick. I hope you liked it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Forever and Ever**

**Rating: Teen**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Summary: Alice and Jasper meet in a half-empty diner. Here's their story.**

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews! I'm so thrilled you guys like my story! I thought of things to write about for this chapter like crazy. I even wrote some of this in Algebra 2, instead of learning about Nth powers of blahblahblah. LOL. Again, thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed or favorited or alerted! You guys ROCK!**

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The storm outside grew weak within a few hours and by the time it had stopped raining, the sun was just starting to set. Completely bored in her own hotel room, she took a step outside on her balcony and rested her hands against the slippery railings, staring out into the beautiful colors of the sunset. He was a little hesitant to join her outside, but he did anyway. He thought it would be hard, standing out in the open like this, humans walking below on the street. Surprisingly, the only scent he could pick up belonged to the small vampire next to him.

"What do you remember," she asked him in a quiet voice. "What was it like for you?"

"I remember feeling... depressed. Worthless." He looked down at her and couldn't escape her curious stare. "I did horrible things, Alice. Things I'm not even sure I can forgive myself for."

"Tell me."

"Not... tonight. Another time."

"Soon?"

"I promise." On the small balcony, they were standing close together, their bodies almost touching. She sighed. "What do you remember?"

"Absolutely nothing. I mean, I imagine I had a family... somewhere. At least _you_ can remember _something_." He felt her pain and sadness, but before he could act on it himself, she was snuggling into his side. He didn't object or refuse. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him. She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. For the first time in twenty-eight years, she felt at home and safe. "No one should ever have to go through what we've been subjected to alone." All the years of walking around with no place to go, with nothing to be grateful for, it had taken it's toll on him. With Alice tucked close to his chest, wrapped in his arms, he realized that _this_ was his reason of existence. He was here to keep Alice safe and to love her for the end of time, for as long as he was able. He needed her. He belonged to Alice, now. He rested his chin on top of her head gently and rubbed her back. "You're not alone anymore."

She picked her head up from his chest and tilted her head back to get a good look at him. Her lips parted as she studied his face, pale and beautiful under the setting sun. With a gentle touch, she ran the tips of her fingers down his cheek and across his jaw. His eyes were dark, almost black. His skin was smooth and hard under her touch. She stood in front of him now and both of his arms were around her waist. She couldn't deny or ignore the fact anymore; she was in love with Jasper Whitlock. Unconditionally, madly in love with him.

"You need to hunt," she whispered, their faces inches apart. He could smell the blood on her breath and the thirst in his throat raged with a burning fire. Her fingers were lingering against his jaw, but then caressed their way to his lips. Her index finger had merely touched his bottom lip when his hand caught her wrist and held her hand tightly in his own. Jasper couldn't make out her emotions. She wasn't scared or angry. She was curious and was afraid that she had caught him off guard. He raised her fingers to his lips once more, pressing a kiss to each of her fingers, then guided her hand to rest against his cheek, where he rested his own hand a top her hers.

"What I need, Alice, is you." Her smile was the only thing he could see next, as she leaned up on her toes and tilted her head until their lips met in a soft, gentle kiss. It was simple and slow, but held so much meaning behind it. Fireworks and explosions were going off behind her closed eyes. She could stay this way forever, with his arms around her and their lips fused together. His hands were pressed against her lower back and she rested her arms on his shoulders, tangling her fingers into his blonde hair. He broke off their kiss to press his lips to her forehead. They lingered there for a few seconds before he pulled back a little to look at her. "That was your first kiss, wasn't it," he asked with a grin.

"As a matter of fact, it was."

"Was it how you imagined?" She grinned and tilted her head to the side, as if she were pondering her answer.

"I think my vision was a little bett-" He took a step closer to her and she was forced to take a step backwards. She felt the railing of the balcony press against her back and suddenly, both of his hands were framing her face. His thumbs rested on her cheeks as he tilted her head perfectly for their lips to meet again, this time, in a passionate kiss. Her lips parted and his tongue slid against hers, battling for control. She was gripping the railing behind her and arching her chest into his as they kissed for what seemed like hours. "Better," she whispered. He smirked.

"Tell me more about this family that we're going to join," he whispered into her ear. She smiled and turned in his arms, now facing the entire city. He rested his chin against her shoulder and stared out into the skyline with her.

"There's five of them. There are the 'parents', a blonde and her mate, then another male. He's the loner. He hasn't been as lucky with finding his... significant other, like the others have."

"And they hunt only animals?" She nodded and hummed happily. "Do you know their names?" She shook her head slowly. Her hair brushed against his cheek and he inhaled deeply. His eyes closed and he relaxed against her.

"Not yet. The visions haven't been that clear lately. I'll get them soon."

"And how do we find them?"

"Exactly how I found you." She turned and grabbed his hand, leading him back into the hotel room. He followed her silently and left the door open behind him.

"I thought we were going hunting?"

"We were, but... I trust that you'll control yourself tonight." She let go of his hand reluctantly and went to stand by the radio that was near the bed. She switched it on and messed with the knobs until a clear song flooded through the room. She was quickly by his side again, staring up at him with her beautiful eyes. "Dance with me?" He wrapped one arm around her waist and held her hand with his, tucking their joined hands to his chest. She rested her head against his chest, much like before, and sighed. They were getting more and more comfortable with each other as the seconds passed. Pretty soon, they'd be inseparable.

_Forever and ever  
My heart will be true  
Sweetheart, forever  
I'll wait for you_

They swayed together around the room, holding each other close in the dim light. He led her with graceful moves, twirling her around every now and then, then resuming their close position. She was so tiny compared to him, he was almost afraid to touch, afraid that she would break under his strong hold. She only clung to him tighter, desperate to feel his touch. He wasn't concentrated on the music, or the way they were dancing. The only thing that had his attention was Alice. She looked so precious in his arms, nestled up to him with her head against his hard chest. When he looked down at her, all he saw was a mass of dark brown hair pointing out in every direction. He smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

_We both made a promise  
That we'd never part  
Let's seal it with a kiss  
Forever, my sweetheart_

_"_So here I am, dancing with the most _beautiful_ woman I've ever laid my eyes on."

"Well aren't you one lucky fella'?"

"Luckiest man alive."

"Promise me something, Jasper..."

"Anything," he whispered.

"Promise me that no matter how hard things might get, no matter how much you think you're going to lose control, that you'll _try_; you'll try for me."

"I promise, love." Her face brightened at the sound of the pet name falling from his lips. She squealed softly and buried her head into his jacket.

_Let bygones be bygones forever  
We'll fall in love once again  
So, let's tell the world of our new love divine  
Forever and ever, you'll be mine_

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**A/N: I hope that was good. I know it might be a little short, but I'm trying. LOL. I'll try to update either tomorrow or Friday. You can count on that. Reviews would make me feel loads better, seeing as I'm going to be SO tired when I wake up. LOL. Sorry for any grammar mistakes, if there are any. I wanted to get this out to you guys as soon as I could. Thanks again, loves! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Forever and Ever**

**Rating: Teen**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Summary: Alice and Jasper meet in a half-empty diner. Here's their story.**

**A/N: I. Love. You. Guys. So. Freaking. Much. LOL. Here's chapter three! I stayed up extra late tonight to finish it. Haha. You can tell I'm a hardcore Alice/Jasper fan. So... thanks to everyone who reviewed. You guys are making me feel so loved. LOL. I wish I could each personally hug you. Except... I'm so tired, I might fall asleep against you. LOL.**

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The morning came quickly and Alice was packed in a matter of no time. Jasper came in from the balcony and looked down at her packed bags. Had he missed something?

"Where are we going?"

"Further south. I'm getting tired of Philadelphia and it's not bringing us any closer to the Cullens. Might as well explore a little, right? Any suggestions?"

"I hear New Orleans is pretty fun around this time of year," he replied with a grin.

"I'll take you up on that." She grabbed one of her bags and went to grab the others, but Jasper was at her side in a second and taking them from her. She smiled up at him and he winked.

"That's it? We can just leave like that?"

"I don't see why not. There's nothing for us here."

"Shouldn't I... you know, hunt?"

"If you think you need to go, then..."

"But I don't... where am I supposed to go," he asked, truly confused with how he was supposed to hunt animals, now. It seemed so absurd. Could animal blood really keep him strong and focused? How would it _taste_? He shook his head. Surely, he had enough self control to wait a few hours. New Orleans wasn't that far away. The second they'd make it there, though, he'd be sure to hunt. _Only animals_, he added.

Alice's face was blank, empty. He was alarmed at first, but realized that she was probably having a vision of their trip. She suddenly smiled and looked up at him with adoration in her eyes.

"You're controlling yourself for me," she asked in a flattered, small voice.

"Yes."

"That means a lot to me, Jasper," she whispered. "Thank you."

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The streets of New Orleans were crowded, flooded with people. The strong scent of alcohol drifted through the air, clung to the humans around him, making it easy to resist their tainted blood. Loud Jazz music filled the streets and Alice danced next to him as they walked the streets, searching for a hotel. They eventually found one on the corner of the busiest street in all New Orleans. It was the beginning of February. The air held a slight chill to it, but even in February, people were wandering about without coats or jackets.

Their room was large and warm. Every light in the room was on and you could hear the muffled noise coming from the streets below them. He set down her bags and stood in the middle of the room, having no clue at all what to do. Alice began to unpack her bags, but saw that he was a little uneasy. The scent was much stronger in a closed off area. He could smell their neighbors, hear their heartbeats, feel their emotions- he wanted to do nothing more than just rip open their door and attack, but he clenched his teeth and his hands balled up into fists at his sides.

She was at his side in an instant, grabbing his hands and unclenching them. She curled her hands around his and slowly started to back up, towards the door. She was anxious. He needed to hunt. Now. He allowed her to tug him out into the hallway, down the staircase, and out the back exit of the hotel that lead into the dark city.

"What if someone sees us?"

"I doubt the people here can form coherent sentences at the moment, much less, see straight. Not to worry." She was leading him down an empty road that stretched out before them for miles. They ran together, hand in hand. It took them seconds to come before a large opening, hundreds of trees before them. The moon was their only source of light. It highlighted everything beautifully. Alice's face, being the number one on his list of beautiful things. Her hand was still curled around his own as they stared at the open forest together. "Come on," she encouraged, dragging him into the awaiting forest.

The wind picked up and the scent of deer was what caught his attention first. He jerked up and she smirked. He was already getting the hang of this. He sunk back into a crouching position in front of her. As the wind grew stronger, he could pick up the scent of all different types of animals, ranging from bears, to deer, to rabbits, squirrels- everything. He thought the deer was closest, but a loud rustle in the bushes in front of them made Jasper's head snap.

He wasn't going to let anything remotely threatening come within five feet of Alice.

He bared his teeth, growling at the large animal behind the bushes. A mass of black and brown was all Alice could see before Jasper leaped from his position on the ground and towards the bear in the bushes.

It was over in seconds. When he returned, his shirt was covered in blood. His hair was trouseled and his eyes were wide with shock, excitement. Even in the moonlight, she could see little specks of gold in the darkness of his eyes. He walked up to her, a proud grin starting to appear on his face. She giggled and leaned up on her toes to reach a small drop of blood that had collected in the corner of his lips. She wiped it off with her finger and brought it to her lips. Her eyes fluttered and her tongue came out to lick her finger clean of the blood. He watched with heavy eyes and parted lips. She was truly amazing.

"How was it," she asked in a curious voice.

"Not as bad as I thought it would be."

"How did you think it was going to be?"

"I thought... it would taste... wrong, but it doesn't. It doesn't completely satisfy, like you mentioned, but I can _feel_ the difference." He took her hand in his again, bringing it up to his lips to press a kiss to the palm of her hand. "I like it better this way." She smiled and her other hand came up to trace the buttons on his shirt, which was covered in blood. She clicked her tongue to the roof of her mouth.

"We are going to have to get you some more clothes." Her eyes lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. "Shopping," she squealed.

After Alice had hunted her share, they ran back to the hotel together and slipped through the back door. They made it up to their room with no strangers walking the hallways to see their attire. Alice didn't have a drop of blood on her, but she couldn't say the same for Jasper.

"I'll soak your shirt in the sinks. Hopefully the blood will come out with a good twenty-five bottles of hotel shampoo and face soap." He snickered and walked into the large bathroom of their hotel room. It was a simple bathroom, one bath, one shower, elegant towels that hung from the rack beside the sink and a beautiful vanity area with dim lights. Candles were placed in the corners of the mirrors for decoration and burned slowly, casting his shadow on the wall behind him. He unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it over his head, then held it up in front of him to survey the mess. He winced. There was no saving this shirt. It was done for. His pants hung low on his hips and his toned, pale chest stood out beautifully in the dim light of the bathroom.

Soon enough, Alice was walking into the bathroom. Her first task was to fill the sink with hot water and shampoo as fast as she could so the blood wouldn't dry and stain. He would need _something_ to wear tomorrow when they went shopping. She moved quickly, pulling the shirt from his hands and pushing it into the sink, under the water and letting it soak. She picked up her head and caught a glimpse of him in the mirror. He stood behind her, motionless. He was watching her, with a silly expression on his face. His eyes snapped to hers and they stared at each other for what seemed like hours, through the mirror.

She felt his arms wrap around her waist from behind and with one hand, he was sweeping her hair away from her neck. His cold lips were against her skin in seconds, kissing, licking, sucking everywhere he could reach. She was melting by the second. She grabbed onto the edge of the sinks counter for support. He spun her around and his lips crashed against hers. Her hands were against his stone cold chest, caressing their way up towards his face. She moaned into their kiss when she felt his hands slide down the back of her thighs. He lifted her against him and hoisted her up onto the bathroom counter. Her legs dangled from the edges and he stood in between her parted thighs.

He could still taste the blood on her lips, from when she swiped that last drop from the corner of his lips and greedily took it for herself. Their lips parted and tongues came into play, caressing and participating in an never ending dance. From her mouth to his, his to hers, it continued for minutes straight. She felt so soft against him, so warm, so good. His hands were still gripping her thighs and inching higher and higher. The voice in the back of his head was screaming at him to stop, that it wasn't the gentlemen like thing to do; to take advantage of such a beautiful, young woman.

And as if he were burned by an unseen source, he pulled back from her and hissed. Her lips were swollen and glistened with his own venom.

"Wha...what?"

"I can't."

"You can't what," she asked in a confused, delirious voice. He laughed at her expression and kissed her forehead.

"I don't know what came over me. I'm terribly sorry, Alice."

"Don't... be sorry." She was having trouble forming her sentences, and he smiled, proud of that fact that it was_ him _who was effecting her this way. "It's okay, love. We have forever to work on that." He nodded and rested his forehead against hers. Their lips met again in a softer kiss and her eyes closed. His emotions were winning the battle again and it took everything he had within him to pull away from her. He still stood between her parted thighs, her hands against his toned chest and his arms around her tiny waist. He caught a glimpse of them in the mirror and swallowed a moan. She looked delicious, in a good way.

_'Gentleman, Jasper. Be a gentleman.'_

He took a step away from her and held out his hand. She took it with a smile and he helped her off from the counter. She bounced to her feet and caressed his cheek for a second, before exiting the bathroom and walking into the living area of their hotel room. She crossed the room and walked out onto the balcony of their room. Balconies were her favorite. So romantic and classy. She leaned over the edge and watched the people of New Orleans stumble around the streets, enjoying the Jazz music that floated in the air.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

He was behind her now, his chest against her back. She sighed contently and leaned into him, swaying softly to the music.

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**A/N: Any grammar mistakes? I'm sorry. I tried to read over it, but I'm about to fall asleep on my keyboard. LOL. Reviews would make me happy when I wake up tomorrow morning! I love you guys!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Forever and Ever**

**Rating: Teen**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Summary: Alice and Jasper meet in a half-empty diner. Here's their story.**

**A/N: Here's chapter four. Sorry I didn't get it up yesterday. I had so much stuff going on. Let's just say, I'm about to seriously get into a huge fight with my Chemistry teacher. If she fails me, I'm going off. LOL. Of course, the beginning chapters are going to be cute fluff because they won't be finding the Cullens for a while, so enjoy. LOL. The part of the song that they dance to is Cajun french. If you try to translate it to 'french' french, it won't make sense. Just trust me on that. LOL**

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The sun was masked behind dark, gray clouds. The wind picked up every now and then, ruffling tree tops and blowing leaves down the empty streets. It was morning, indicated by the clock against their hotel wall, but you wouldn't be able to tell with the way it looked outside.

And even the soon-to-be bad weather didn't stop Alice from getting dressed in her lightest dress and jacket. Most of the blood had come out from his shirt, but it was still damp. He wore his dark jacket over and frowned when he stepped out from the bathroom. Alice was waiting for him, an umbrella in her hand.

"Didn't you see this coming?"

"Of course I did."

"Then why are we going shopping today, of all days?"

"Less people, bad weather... it's safe. You won't get tempted, people won't see us. It'll work out _perfectly_."

"Why are we doing this again?"

"Because you need more clothes than a ruined, bloody shirt and dark pants."

"And how are we going to pay for all of this?"

She held up her purse, then unzipped it and revealed the hundreds, if not, thousands worth of dollars just sitting in her purse.

"Well what did you expect me to do for twenty-eight years? Live off the streets?"

"This is all, hard-working, well earned money?"

"Of course it is."

"You didn't happen to just get a 'glimpse' of the lottery numbers and had the sudden urge to buy a ticket," he teased.

"Now that you mention it, that sounds like a really good idea."

The morning went by quickly for Jasper, surprisingly. He surly thought it would drag on forever, stopping at dozens of boutiques and shops along the city. She had pulled him into stores left and right, picking out clothes and shoving him into the dressing rooms for him to try them on. Everything she liked, she bought. By the time 'lunch' came around, they weren't anywhere near done. At this point, Jasper was starting to feel a little uneasy. Every clerk or salesman that had approached them had an intriguing scent, and it took everything in Jasper to not bite into their inviting neck and suck them clean of their blood.

While they were in one shop, getting Jasper fitted for Alice's favorite outfit so far, it begun to rain. It started lightly at first, but then suddenly, it poured.

"That's some nasty weather we've been getting lately. Hope it ain't nothing the levees can't handle." Jasper glanced over at Alice and froze under the salesman hands. He was measuring Jasper for sizes, leaning in at times to get a better look at the measuring tape. "You two gonna make it alright out there?" Jasper never answered the man, never even acknowledged him. Jasper's eyes stayed locked on Alice's blank, expressionless face.

Her eyes came to life then, opening as wide as they could go. She all but jumped from her place in the front of the store and ran to Jasper's side.

"We have to get ready, Jasper! There's going to be a party tonight," she squealed, truly excited to get dressed up for the occasion. Jasper was puzzled. A party? Where? It had never dawned on him that they had come all the way down to New Orleans just before Mardi Gras. The guy measuring Jasper smirked and finished with the suit Jasper was wearing.

"Party? Where?"

"All around, son. All around," the man answered for her. Alice waited for a while, waiting for Jasper to catch on, but when he didn't, she jumped up in excitement and clasped her hands together.

"Mardi Gras, Jasper!"

"But the weather?"

"Son, a little rain and wind isn't going to stop the people from partying down here. You'll see."

After they were done shopping, they walked outside to find it still raining, not quite hard as before, but still not light enough to be considered drizzle. He carried the bags for her and together, they walked down the street to get back to their hotel. Alice was so excited, she was almost skipping next to him.

"You handled yourself really good in there. I'm impressed."

"Huh?" He looked down at her and then realized what she was talking about. To his surprise, the day turned out very well. No slip ups and no near-death incidents for the poor humans of New Orleans. "Oh. Thank you."

"In fact, you did so good, I believe you deserve a prize."

"Another shopping spree," he asked in sarcasm.

"No, silly!" The next thing he knew, his back was pressed up against a brick wall that came out of no where. He dropped the bags almost as quickly. Her lips were pressed against his and her hands traveled up his chest, over his shoulders, then tangled into his hair. The rain hit them continuously, soaking them through their clothes. The bags of his new clothes were long forgotten as they remained in their embrace, his arms around her waist tightly and her hands around his neck. She had to stand on her toes to reach his lips and he had his head bent slightly to accommodate her shortness. He was so gentle with her, even though they both knew he would never hurt her. His hands came up to frame her face, both of his hands against her cheeks and his thumb brushed over her cheekbone. She pulled back to end their kiss and his lips followed, but she giggled and pulled back even further when he tried to kiss her again.

Her hair was matted to her face, completely soaked. Her gold eyes were shining up at him, her white teeth bared in the most adorable smile he had ever seen. She was his life, his reason for existence. She was the most important thing, she came first. Whatever she wanted, he would make damn sure she got.

"Come on. Let's go get ready."

--

The radio was still playing when they entered their hotel room, soaking wet. Alice got to work on drying his new clothes by hanging them up in the bathroom. Jasper peeled off his shoes and placed them behind the bathroom door, to dry also. While Alice was busy coordinating their outfits while trying to dry his newly purchased clothes, he unbuttoned his shirt while walking towards the balcony of their hotel room. When he made it outside, all the buttons of his shirt were undone and it floated on his body. He leaned against the railing and watched as the streets grew more crowded and populated with people. Most people were wearing costumes and masks, decorated in the three traditional colors. Beer was being passed around left and right and a loud Jazz band continuously played music for the drunken people to dance to.

He wondered, if Alice hadn't found him, if he hadn't been lucky enough to have her, how many people would he kill tonight? If she wasn't here to stop him, how many poor souls would be lost tonight, in a dark alley somewhere away from the commotion? A high number popped into his head and he had to look away in shame. Alice made it look so easy. He sighed and let his head fall to his chest. If he could be dragged to dozens of stores and control himself with a human standing not but two feet away from him, then he could surly last a few hours on the streets below. He didn't want to disappoint her. It would break his heart to see her saddened.

"Good news," her happy voice came from behind him and he looked over his shoulder to find her dressed in a short, purple dress with silver heels. Her hair was a little damp from the rain, but it was starting to dry and flip out in it's natural, crazy way by itself. She held up an outfit for him, one of the few that managed not to get wet, and smiled. "We didn't make out long enough for all of the clothes to get soaked." He laughed and accepted the outfit from her, then placed it down on the nearest dry object. She watched with a curious gaze as he turned towards her. Her eyes went straight to his bare chest and she grinned. He held out his arms and she walked willingly into his embrace. Their arms went around each other and they swayed slowly together to the music coming below them. His chin rested against the stop of her head and her cheek was pressed against his bare chest.

"Alice, what if I can do it," he whispered. "What if I can't be as strong as you think I am?"

"Never doubt yourself, Jasper. I know what your capable of. Despite what you may think, you have a _lot_ of control."

"I just... I don't want to disappoint you." She sighed and hugged him tighter.

"You could never disappoint me."

"Don't be so sure."

"I'm with you every step of the way. There's no getting rid of me now." He smiled and rubbed her back, only to find her dress cut low, exposing her entire back. He moaned softly into her ear and twirled her around. She came back to rest against his chest happily and hummed her approval.

"So what does our future look like?" She smiled at 'our future'. They were in this together.

"I could ruin everything and tell you, but I think I'll keep it a surprise." She giggled.

"So you're not telling me?"

"Nuh uh."

"Even if I pay for your services," he teased. She whacked his chest playfully. "Let's get you down to your party, Ms. Alice."

He grabbed her hand and together, they walked out of their hotel room, through the lobby of the hotel, and out into the crowded streets. Food, drinks, music, lights, beads, masks- everywhere. He led her through the crowd, holding his breath the entire time as he did so, and pulled her to an open part of the street that had been turned into a dance floor. Lights connected to every building and the smell of Cajun cuisine filled the air. The song that currently had people dancing was an up-beat, fast tempo song. With one look at Jasper, he knew instantly what she wanted to do. He grabbed her hand, spun her around and led her into the middle of all the dancing. They went along with the couples around them, following their steps and laughing when one of them messed up the moves. He spun her around numerous times and them pulled her back into his arms where he planted a kiss onto her forehead and resumed their fast dance.

_A fais des clins d'œil, elle garoche des becs, et tout le monde dans la place viens d'mondes fou._

He laughed at the last line of the song, finding it very appropriate, but she had no idea what it meant. He could tell by the confusion she was giving off.

"'Because she winks her eyes and shoots her smile, and all the boys in the place go wild.'"

She look around after his translation and sure enough, almost every man on the side of the street had his eyes locked onto her small form. She buried her face into his chest and wrapped her arms around him, letting those guys know she was off limits. He chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He couldn't remember the last time he felt his carefree and happy. He owed it all to the small vampire cuddled into his arms. A slower song began and he grabbed her hand, twirled her around once more, and pulled her back to rest against his chest. One of his hands rested on her lower back, bringing her even closer while his other hand was entwined with hers, resting over where his heart would be.

_Take my hand, say you'll be true  
Say those simple words  
Oh, I love only you  
Take my hand, oh  
Hold it tight. Take my hand  
And everything will be alright_

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**A/N: Right. So... sorry for any grammar mistakes or anything of the sort. I don't own any of the songs I used in this. All songs belong to Wayne Toups, who is amazing- love his music. (Yes. I'm a nerd.) Anything you'd like to see happen next? Maybe their first fight? Hmm. LOL. Reviews would make me feel loads better. I HATE CHEMISTRY!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Forever and Ever**

**Rating: Teen**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Summary: Alice and Jasper meet in a half-empty diner. Here's their story.**

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews. You guys make me feel so good. LOL. So I'm about to go to work and I really don't want to, but whatever- I need money for Christmas presents and my birthday. Ha. There's a song that goes with this chapter, even though the song may be a little too modern for the story's timeline, but I don't care. February Air by Lights. It's really Jasper/Alice. LOL.**

* * *

"Whats with all the red and pink everywhere," Jasper asked as they roamed the streets. Her arm was curled around his and they walked at a slow place. Earlier, Alice had taken him to hunt again when she noticed his eyes were dark and empty. Now his eyes were a deep shade of gold, much like her own. She looked around and noticed that all the shops were decorated with hearts and flowers.

"Valentine's Day," she announced happily.

"Valentine's Day?"

"Yeah. It's the holiday were you spoil the love of your life," she informed him with a wicked grin.

"Oh really, now?" She hummed her approval and danced next to him, gracefully making her way down the sidewalk next to him. Flowers where everywhere and she stared at them in awe. They were so pretty, she was tempted to pick one up and stick it behind her ear, but she wanted to wait until she found the perfect flower. "Well I guess I better get a head start to make up for lost time," he whispered. She looked up at him and as she did so, he was holding up the most beautiful flower she had seen yet. "Happy Valentine's Day, love."

She smiled and Jasper could've sworn he felt his heart beat.

She accepted the flower and leaned up to press a sweet kiss to his cheek. She tucked the stem of the flower he had picked for her behind her ears, showing off the flower's petals and it's beautiful color. The color of the flower almost matched her pale, white face. She sighed contently and continued to walk with him. She could stay here forever, but she knew the Cullens wouldn't be in one place for long. Her visions of them still weren't clear enough, so that meant they'd be waiting for quite a few years until they found them. There was no point in wasting money by traveling state to state. Why not just stay down here until her visions were fully clear of where they were supposed to be heading?

With her arm looped through his, she looked shyly up at him, wondering how to approach him with the question. He felt her stare and could feel the shyness radiating from her.

"Just ask me, Alice."

"I thought you feel emotions, not read minds."

"I can tell your anxious and shy. This means you're unsure of something. You want to know what I think." He looked down at her. "Am I right?"

"Show off," she muttered. "Yes, you're right. I wanted your opinion on this place. Do you like it here?"

"New Orleans?" He looked around and shrugged. It was a nice, rich city with kindhearted people and catchy music. What didn't he like about this place? The humans. He knew there was probably another coven of vampires in the city, but it was better to not interfere. "I like it. I think I could get used to it," he answered honestly. "Why?"

"Well... it'll be a while before we find the Cullens. I mean, I don't have a constant income of money and moving from place to place could-"

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes. I want to stay here, with you." They stopped walking and she stood in front of him, smiling brightly. "I'll follow you wherever you want to go, Alice. Anytime, anywhere."

--

Later on in the day, Alice had left Jasper at the hotel so she could go shopping. Of course, she had checked into his future before leaving. When she saw nothing but her love lounging around the hotel room, she smiled and kissed him goodbye with her purse slung over her shoulder.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours. Okay?"

"Why do you insist on going shopping today?"

"Because! I still need to get your present, plus, I need a new pair of shoes," she squealed.

"Hurry back. I don't know how long I'll be able to last without you," he whispered as he walked her to the door of their hotel room. She smiled up at him, caressed his cheek, pressed a kiss to his lips and was out of the door in seconds flat. He watched her leave from the balcony and once he was sure she was out of sight, he went down into the lobby of the hotel and up to the main desk, where young man was standing at attention, his hands behind his back. "Excuse me. Sir?" The guy looked up at Jasper and nodded politely.

"Is there a problem with your accommodation?"

"No, no problem at all." Jasper knew he must have sounded very ridiculous, asking a question like this, but he had no clue what to do. And it wasn't helping that this man's scent was scratching at Jasper's throat. He closed his eyes and stopped breathing for a moment, trying to clear his head and regain control. It worked after a few seconds and he opened his eyes. "Actually, I was hoping you would be able to answer my question," Jasper proposed. The man behind the desk waited patiently for Jasper to continue. "Today is what you call Valentine's Day, correct," he asked in a confused voice. The man nodded. "What do you do, exactly, on this day?"

"Well I'm assuming you have a wife?"

Alice. Beautiful little Alice. He smiled.

"Yes," he answered.

"I suggest, sir, flowers and dinner, maybe? A gift, perhaps. Jewelry of some sort?" Jasper thought of all the options and nodded. He concentrated on what he wanted to do for Alice and ignored the sweet scent of the blood coming from the man in front of him. He was finding it very easy to control himself, just thinking of Alice and how proud she would be if he could really do this.

--

After an hour of searching around the city and practically holding his breath when he walked into every shop, he was ready to begin his first Valentine's Day. Alice still hadn't returned from her shopping trip, but Jasper wasn't worried at all. He had bought roses, flowers, cards and even a stuffed animal. He stood back and smiled at his work. He had worked hard today, walking from shop to shop and asking people along the way what their plans were for Valentine's Day. A bunch of ideas had come across him and he smiled. Of course, taking Alice out to dinner would've been the best thing to do, but seeing as neither one of them needed human food, it just wasn't necessary.

Then he remembered what one guy on the street had said he was doing for his wife.

_"I'm putting rose petals everywhere, leading to the bathtub. It works every time."_

'Too risky,' he thought. But the rose petals everywhere did sound like a good idea. He had bought her two dozens of roses. One remained in a vase, on the small table so she would see it when she first walked in. He grabbed the second bouquet and carefully pulled the petals off, one by one and scattering them across the bed, the floor, the table- everywhere he could find. When he was sure everything was perfect, he reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small, black box.

He didn't have to spend a penny on this gift. It was the only thing he took along with him as he was leaving for the war. His mother had given it to him, enclosed it in his hand as he stood on the porch of their countryside home. He could remember it like it were yesterday.

_"Jasper Whitlock. You be careful, do you hear me?"_

_"Yes, mamma."_

_"You **will **come back to me when this war is over, understand?" He nodded. He was trying to be strong, trying to put up a front. Of course he didn't want to leave his family, but his father had encouraged him, saying, 'Son, this is your chance. Make everyone out there see what you're capable of. Make me proud, son.' He was only sixteen. Just then, his two year old sister walked out onto the porch, carrying her teddy bear and a one of Jasper's shirts. Her blonde curls were pulled loosely back into a ponytail. Her bangs swept across her forehead, exposing her sparkling, blue eyes. In other words, she was the cutest baby sister Jasper could've ever asked for. Her light summer dress swayed as the breeze picked up. She squealed when she saw him._

_"Casper!" He smiled. She never could prounounce the 'J' in his name. He'd settle for Casper, just as long as she remembered who he was. He held his arms out to his baby sister and she jumped willingly into them. He tossed her into the air and spun her around. Her laughs and giggles filled his ears, bringing him peace. This was why he was going to war. To protect his family. He settled her on his hip and poked her nose._

_"Elizabeth Ann. What brings you out here on a hot day like this, hmm?" His little sister giggled. Of course, she had no idea what he was saying. She put her tiny hand against his cheek, her teddy bear falling in between their chests. "I'm going to miss you. So much." He pressed a kiss to her forehead then set her down on the porch again, handing her the teddy bear and watching her stumble off to another part of the house. His mother was still standing there, a sad smile on her face. _

_"Do you really have to go?"_

_"Yes. I have to." She hurried down the steps and reached into her apron's pocket, pulling out a shiny ring that glared in the July sun. It nearly blinded him and he had to squint his eyes to see what it was._

_"Take it, Jasper." She placed it into his hand and curled his fingers around it._

_"What is it?"_

_"It belonged to your grandmother. It's the ring my father gave her when they were married. She wanted you to have it, son. When you meet the love of your life, I want you to give this to her."_

_"Yes ma'am."_

_"And then I want you to bring the little lady back here so we can all meet her." Jasper grinned, tipped his head and stretched out his arms. His mother walked into them willingly, silently sobbing into his chest. Her baby, her son, was leaving her for war and she had no idea if he would ever return to her._

The door opened and Alice walked in with dozens of shopping bags on her arms. When she closed the door, she had turned around to welcome Jasper and saw the room. All of the bags dropped from her arms and landed with a 'thud' on the floor. Jasper stood in front of her, a bit self-conscious as she took in the room.

"Uh... Happy Valentine's Day," he whispered. Her eyes flew to his and she squealed, then ran into his arms. He stumbled back a little at the force of her hug and smiled, then wrapped his own arms around her tiny body.

"Jasper, this is so beautiful. When did you do all of this," she asked, finally pulling back from the hug.

"While you were shopping. Didn't you see me doing this for you?" She shook her head honestly.

"No, actually. I didn't. I only saw you sitting around the hotel room, waiting for me to get back. You must have changed your mind after I left," she explained. She walked over to the bed and carefully picked up one of the rose petals, weaving it through her fingers. She saw the card and the stuffed animal sitting on the chair across from her and she felt like crying. "I can't believe you did all of this for me."

"Why wouldn't I?" He was beside her now, watching her with heavy eyes. She was so adorable when she was surprised. "I have something else for you, too." Her eyes lit up beautifully and he reached into his coat pocket again, taking out the small black box which held his grandmother's antique wedding ring. If she could cry, she'd be sobbing. He opened the box slowly to reveal the ring and stood deadly still in front of her. "My mother's instructions were to give this to the girl I would fall in love with. It's the only thing I took with me before the war," he explained. "It's my grandmother's ring; the one my grandfather gave her when they were married," he explained softly.

"Is this your way of letting me know that you've fallen in love with me," she asked with a grin. He simply removed the ring from the box, grabbed her left hand and brought it to his lips to place a kiss to all five of her fingers, her palm and the back of her hand before slipping the ring onto her finger.

"Unconditionally."

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**A/N: LOL. I always imagined Jasper having no clue as to what Valentine's Day is. So... was this cute or totally nonworthy of reading? Let me know if I should continue. Please. LOL. Thank you, guys! I love you all!**


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